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Poise and Good Grooming

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When I was in 7th grade, my school offered an annual two week program called Mini Courses. It was touted as an opportunity to learn new skills that aren’t part of traditional curriculum, and for most of us, it was just as exciting as a field trip to a roller rink or the news that a substitute teacher would be presiding for the day. I can’t recall all of the classes that were offered, but I do remember that I filled out my request form for Basket Weaving. It must have been a popular choice, because I was bumped to my backup option, which was a course called Poise and Good Grooming. To clarify, this took place in the late 80’s, and not the 1950’s, but the sentiment was most definitely a pre-ERA holdover. I will not bury the lede here. We were taught neither poise, nor good grooming. Our instructor was Erin, a high school senior and the star student at a local modeling school. Erin’s credentials were seemingly just pageant trophies and several reigns on the high school homecoming court, but those sort of things carried more weight than any doctorate or dissertation in my small town. Our…Poise and Good Grooming

The Beauty of Taking Advice

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Years ago, when I was a young pup in college, I worked part time at a local department store behind the beauty counter. It was perhaps ironic that I sought employment in the beauty industry while studying feminism and gender norms, but for me at the time, nothing could have been more apropos, and looking back, it was exactly where I was supposed to be. This was the first time in my life where my peers were of different ages, and while I was a sort of naive mascot for these women, I soon learned that I was basking in a fountain of wisdom. These ladies were nothing like the carpooling “room moms” and field trip chaperones that made up the women of my childhood. They talked to me like the quasi-adult that I was, and as they did, I learned about their divorces and custody settlements, their mortgages, and grown-up dating life. I learned about comfortable shoes, and vacations to tropical islands. I learned about making commission, sharing commission, and what to do about those that were stealing commissions. These women were out on their own, many without husbands or partners, and they were survivors. Every day I learned…The Beauty of Taking Advice

The Art of Makeup Brush Maintenance

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What the world needs now is obviously yet another makeup brush cleaning article, so I am here to help. But seriously, if you wash your hair…and your clothes…and your towels…and your bed linens…but not your makeup brushes, you need to read this. Some of you are buying and using organic, non-toxic makeup and skincare. You are removing your makeup every night and moisturizing daily. You are eating healthy fats and drinking lots of water. But you are not washing and sanitizing your makeup brushes. This makes me sad. Here is the thing. Bacteria, viruses, and dust mites will happily nestle themselves onto leftover makeup residue and into the fibers of your makeup brush hairs. If you don’t clean your brushes, you will deposit these unwanted visitors right on to your face or into your makeup. This can aggravate skin conditions and cause irritation, breakout, and even fine lines. It can also contaminate your cosmetic and skincare products. (Save yourself, and do not perform a recreational Google image search of this phenomenon.) Even synthetic or “antibacterial” brushes carry this risk, so it’s absolutely imperative that you start a regular brush washing schedule. Additionally, washing your makeup brushes regularly will ensure that…The Art of Makeup Brush Maintenance

The Fabled Sisterhood of Creme De La Mer and NIVEA Creme

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Having worked in some form of the cosmetics industry for over 450 years, first as a mortal, and then a youth seeking vampire, I’ve become an expert about the various ingredients of moisturizers and skincare through beauty school and continuing education for licensure, product seminars and classes, and my own finely honed research skills. I’ve used and tested a myriad of products, not just on my own skin, but on an innumerable amount of people of different ages and skin types. I’ve seen brands come and go, the trends in ingredients change, the popularity of luxury skincare rise, and the entire industry turn into a cosmetic and skincare machine that is both good and evil. One of the comments, or myths, that I hear often is that Creme de la Mer Moisturizing Creme and NIVEA Creme are “the exact same thing.” So, let’s talk about that. First of all, sadly, no, NIVEA Creme, is not the same thing as Creme de la Mer. It would be lovely to buy a twin of this luxury cream that retails for $190.00 per ounce for the dream price of $1.50 per ounce. But alas, it will not happen. It is important to say…The Fabled Sisterhood of Creme De La Mer and NIVEA Creme

The Steam Towel

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Here in the Northeast, the weather is growing colder and drier, and most of us notice the harsh weather taking a toll on our skin. We all have a natural lipid layer that acts as a barrier to the elements, but it’s important to protect and nurture that barrier when the climate is less than friendly. One of the simplest and most beneficial things that you can do for your skin is to take a moment for self care and practice facial steaming. Facial steaming increases blood flow to the skin which nourishes the cells and aids in the repair process. It also opens and clears the pores, and prepares the skin to properly receive moisturizer. Advanced facialists use steaming for comedone extraction, to activate peels and exfoliators, and for saponification, which is a process where oil is used to clear clogged pores. There are many facial steaming devices on the market, but in all honestly, I don’t recommend them. Because they can easily develop mildew and mold, they need to be cleaned thoroughly during each use. They also don’t apply the steam evenly which reduces the benefits of the treatment. I also don’t recommend using a bowl of hot…The Steam Towel

Clean and Green Beauty

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I am always looking for opportunities to make small changes each day that will help create a more sustainable lifestyle and a healthier home. I know that perfection in this arena is impossible, but I want to be part of the collective effort to make a difference. Because of this commitment, I started to research and exclusively use natural, non-toxic beauty products that are responsibly packaged and shipped. I tried almost every brand on the market, researched ingredients, read about each company’s philosophy, and found out where the products were manufactured and what type of packaging was used. I naturally wanted to transfer this knowledge to my work as a makeup artist, so I made it a mission to create a red carpet worthy kit comprised entirely of clean and green cosmetics that perform as well as luxury cosmetic brands. I tested these products against red carpets, long filming days, and different studio lighting conditions. I now consider some of these products below to be the new luxury in cosmetics. Not every company listed here scores perfectly across the board, but by switching a few of your products, you will be making small changes that make big statements to the cosmetic…Clean and Green Beauty

Unmasking Red Lips

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The holidays are upon us, and while we will all be wearing masks for most of our days and nights, many of us will get spruced up for at least one dinner, a family photo, or even a virtual cocktail party. Since it is almost universally agreed upon that red lipstick is one of the ultimate festive holiday adornments, I know that some of you will be trying it for those un-masked moments of celebration. That said, if you aren’t used to wearing red lips, it can be quite jarring. Jarring like the physical embodiment of those memes that show “what I think I look like” and “what I actually look like.” I have been working as a makeup artist for my entire adult life, yet there have been times when I’ve applied red lips to myself, shockingly reacted to my image in the mirror, and removed the offending color. If I did leave the house while wearing the red lipstick (obviously this is pre-pandemic,) I may have wondered if everyone noticed it, and if my fellow subway riders thought I was wearing So. Much. Makeup. Obviously I am just insane, and it has always looked perfectly normal, but because…Unmasking Red Lips

The Aspirin Mask

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Makeup artists and hair stylists that have worked with me over the years have heard me extol the virtues of “The Aspirin Mask.” Many, both women and men, have even adopted it into their weekly beauty routine. It has eradicated dry lines, treated ingrown hairs on stubborn beards, and has been part of countless pre-date beauty regimens. You’ve probably even seen the results of this mask on some recognizable faces on your television screen. Since this year has been a difficult one for many, there has never been a better time to spread some goodwill and share this inexpensive and fast beauty treatment. I started using this DIY technique in the previous millennium, and I firmly believe that it has singlehandedly staved away some very persistent forehead lines that showed up on the eve of my 30th birthday, and have attempted each and every day since to increase their indelibility. You can easily fit in a quick aspirin mask before you start your day, when you are in the shower, or before you go to bed at night. It will leave your skin feeling as smooth as glass, and you will notice an immediately more radiant complexion. The best part…The Aspirin Mask

My Safe and Simple Makeup Routine

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As a professional makeup artist, I have access to any brand of cosmetics, and I am armed with years of product and ingredient knowledge to help me sift through all of the choices that are constantly introduced to the already saturated market. I want to make sure that the products that I put on my face and body are just as safe as the food that I choose to eat, but I also want high performing results that would stand up in professional settings with flash photography or studio lighting. It is also important to me that my money goes to companies that respect the environment and have ethical business practices.I’ve narrowed down a simple and fast routine with what I consider to be the best performing all natural and eco-friendly products—and I have tested MANY. Here is my 5 minute morning routine: I gently cleanse with Dr. Haushka Soothing Cleansing Milk and pat my face dry with a towel. I moisturise with Gressa Purifying Oil by warming a few drops up in my hands and then pressing the oil into my skin. I put 3 (yes, only 3!) drops of Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation in my hand, and…My Safe and Simple Makeup Routine

Bold Lips, Runway to Everyday

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ORIGINAL PUBLICATION AUGUST 19, 2015 www.TheLVGuide.com Supersaturated, bold lips look stunning on the red carpets and runways, but they can be intimidating to incorporate into your makeup routine. This is a trend worth trying, because bright lips are a beautiful and easy way to highlight your smile and brighten your eyes. Here are a few ways to instantly update your look from summer to fall with just a tube of lipstick: 1. Wear your new lipstick over a clear gloss. Applying a highly pigmented, bright lipstick on top of a clear gloss gives it a sheer, glass candy quality. It won’t feel as intense, but it will still give you a pop of color. Try using Grande Lips Collagen Boosting Plumper Clear Gloss to create this look. 2. Mix the old and new. Try mixing your new color with your standby lipstick. Start with a little bit of the bright color and add more of the new color every day until you are comfortable wearing the bold lip alone. The Bdellium Tools retractable lip brushes are the only ones that I use in my kit and make mixing two lip colors a dream. 3. Smudge your lipstick. I like to…Bold Lips, Runway to Everyday